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HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
MR. SALES: -Mr. Chairman, Mr. CHAN is speaking my own language. I would be happy at any time to consider $400,000, $500,000, $600,000, the higher the better. Will Council please indicate? Perhaps you might wish to put it up for auction at this moment, Sir? (Laughter).
MR. WU: Mr. Chairman, I do not know whether this is a supplementary. This morning I went to a session on the employer and employee relationship sponsored by the Rotary Club of Hong Kong Island West and also the Chinese University. Mention was made that the many small enterprises were not able to provide recreation and welfare to employees, and I suggested that it was only possible that public spirited organizations and, in particular, people like the Urban Services Department could fill the gap by providing such necessities. In view of this, could you please see your way to increase the amount as much as you can?
CHAIRMAN: --I don't think so, I would not go against the recommendation of the Recreation and Amenities Select Committee, Mr. Wu, but I would try and find out whether in fact the programmes that are carried out by the Department and the Council cover the people that you have in mind.
MR. SALES: -Sir, perhaps with your permission, I might give Council some information. So far, from 1st April to 31st August, 165 different projects have been carried out. They consist of 15 variety shows, 30 band concerts, 36 film shows, 14 Chinese operas, 1 fun fair, 18 horticultural trips, 4 mini-tattoos, 10 launch picnics, 8 mod pop-ins, 12 swim-ins, 8 swimming parties and 9 summer camps, and this programme continues. Mr. Chairman, there was a suggestion that you might wish to consult the Council now as to whether Council thinks the figure $300,000 should be revised upwards. Might I suggest to you, Sir, that the upset price be set at $600,000 and then they can start bidding? (Laughter).
MR. HU: I think, Mr. Chairman, as there is a supplementary preventing me from asking question No. 13, I would say that it needs some co-ordination about the kind of recreational youth activities in Hong Kong. I understand, not only this Council, but there are other voluntary organizations who provide youth with such facilities. I think probably co-ordination is very important in this matter. Mr. Chairman, would you convey my ideas to the relevant quarter of the Government that co-ordination probably is also very important?
MR. SALES: ---Perhaps Mr. Hu is not aware that this Council had its co-ordinating committee last year, at which Members of other Government departments were present and also representatives of the leading organizations in Hong Kong engaged in youth activities. That co-ordinating committee served a most useful purpose last year and now the work, I believe, has been taken over by the Colonial Secretariat; by the Principal Assistant Colonial Secretary who is in charge of the co-ordination of all youth programmes.
CHAIRMAN: -In fact, Mr. Hu, you were informed of this not so very long ago.
MR. HU: -But still, Mr. Chairman, do you think that one official in the Colonial Secretariat is sufficient to cope with the co-ordination work?
CHAIRMAN: -It only needs one man to co-ordinate the lot.
MR. SALES: -Mr. Chairman, Mr. Hu has no faith in the ability of the Colonial Secretariat. (Laughter).
MR. HU: -I think, Mr. Chairman, because these activities are of a wide range, it needs more than one official from a section of Government to try to co-ordinate the various activities for the youth, including recreational activities.
MR. C. K. CHAN: ---Mr. Chairman, I myself would say that this year the co-ordination among all the departments and voluntary agencies on a district level and also on the Colony wide level was very high and very good. I can assure Mr. Hu, if he wants to have some information about this, that I shall be glad to supply it, with the information I have gathered from all concerned.
CHAIRMAN: -Thank you, Mr. CHAN.
MR. SALES: -Mr. Chairman, is Mr. CHAN speaking for the Government against the Urban Council? (Laughter).
(13) MR. HENRY H. L. Hu asked the following question:-
Could the Commissioner for Resettlement please inform the Council what is our policy regarding the internal decoration of resettlement rooms? What was the cause of dissatisfaction among the contractors in Sau Mau Ping Estate recently for the work of internal decoration? Could any consideration be given in order to improve the present procedure?
THE COMMISSIONER FOR RESETTLEMENT replied as follows:--
The policy with regard to the internal decoration of estate rooms was agreed by the Resettlement Management Select Committee on 14th June, 1968.
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HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
MR. SALES: -Mr. Chairman, Mr. CHAN is speaking my own language. I would be happy at any time to consider $400,000, $500,000, $600,000, the higher the better. Will Council please indicate? Perhaps you might wish to put it up for auction at this moment, Sir? (Laughter).
MR. WU: Mr. Chairman, I do not know whether this is a supplementary. This morning I went to a session on the employer and employee relationship sponsored by the Rotary Club of Hong Kong Island West and also the Chinese University. Mention was made that the many small enterprises were not able to provide recreation and welfare to employees, and I suggested that it was only possible that public spirited organizations and, in particular, people like the Urban Services Department could fill the gap by providing such necessities. In view of this, could you please see your way to increase the amount as much as you can?
CHAIRMAN: --I don't think so, I would not go against the recom- mendation of the Recreation and Amenities Select Committee, Mr. Wu, but I would try and find out whether in fact the programmes that are carried out by the Department and the Council cover the people that you have in mind.
MR. SALES-Sir, perhaps with your permission, I might give Council some information. So far, from 1st April to 31st August, 165 different projects have been carried out. They consist of 15 variety shows, 30 band concerts, 36 film shows, 14 Chinese operas, 1 fun fair, 18 horticultural trips, 4 mini-tattoos, 10 launch picnics, 8 mod pop-ins, 12 swim-ins, 8 swimming parties and 9 summer camps, and this programme continues. Mr. Chairman, there was a sugges- tion that you might wish to consult the Council now as to whether Council thinks the figure $300,000 should be revised upwards. Might I suggest to you, Sir, that the upset price be set at $600,000 and ther they can start bidding? (Laughter).
MR. HU: I think, Mr. Chairman, as there is a supplementary preventing me from asking question No. 13, I would say that it needs some co-ordination about the kind of recreational youth activities in Hong Kong. I understand, not only this Council, but there are other voluntary organizations who provide youth with such facilities. I think probably co-ordination is very important in this matter. Mr. Chairman, would you convey my ideas to the relevant quarter of the Government that co-ordination probably is also very important?
MR. SALES: ---Perhaps Mr. Hu is not aware that this Council had its co-ordinating committee last year, at which Members of other Government departments were present and also representatives of the leading organizations in Hong Kong engaged in youth activities. That
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co-ordinating committee served a most useful purpose last year and now the work, I believe, has been taken over by the Colonial Secre- tariat; by the Principal Assistant Colonial Secretary who is in charge of the co-ordination of all youth programmes.
CHAIRMAN:-In fact, Mr. Hu, you were informed of this not so very long ago.
MR. HU:-But still, Mr. Chairman, do you think that one official in the Colonial Secretariat is sufficient to cope with the co-ordination work?
CHAIRMAN:-It only needs one man to co-ordinate the lot.
MR. SALES: -Mr. Chairman, Mr. Hu has no faith in the ability of the Colonial Secretariat. (Laughter).
MR. HU:-I think, Mr. Chairman, because these activities are of a wide range, it needs more than one official from a section of Government to try to co-ordinate the various activities for the youth, including recreational activities.
MR. C. K. CHAN:---Mr. Chairman, I myself would say that this year the co-ordination among all the departments and voluntary agencies on a district level and also on the Colony wide level was very high and very good. 1 can assure Mr. Hu, if he wants to have some information about this, that I shall be glad to supply it, with the information I have gathered from all concerned.
CHAIRMAN:-Thank you, Mr. CHAN.
MR. SALES: -Mr. Chairman, is Mr. CHAN speaking for the Government against the Urban Council? (Laughter).
(13) MR. HENRY H. L. Hu asked the following question:-
Could the Commissioner for Resettlement please inform the Council what is our policy regarding the internal decora- tion of resettlement rooms? What was the cause of dissatisfaction among the contractors in Sau Mau Ping Estate recently for the work of internal decoration? Could any consideration be given in order to improve the present procedure?
THE COMMISSIONER FOR RESETTLEMENT replied as follows: --
The policy with regard to the internal decoration of estate rooms was agreed by the Resettlement Management Select Committee on 14th June, 1968.
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